When was the last time you picked up a bag of coffee labeled "light roast" and wondered if it actually matched your understanding of what light roast should be? If you've ever found yourself confused by roast levels or disappointed that a coffee didn't match the description on the bag, you're not alone.

The Light Roast Experiment

Recently, I completed an extended experiment with light roasts. I was trying to develop a deeper appreciation for something that, frankly, I hadn't always enjoyed. Like many coffee enthusiasts, I had my preconceptions about what constitutes a "good" light roast.

My parameters were specific: I aimed for first crack at 9-10 minutes, with a development time of about 30 seconds after first crack for light roasts. I tried to replicate the Nordic style of roasting—extremely light, with readings that would make many commercial roasters raise an eyebrow.

The result? I was getting bright acidity with complexity, but very little sweetness. To me, this seemed logical—light roasts are typically more acidic and less sweet, right?

Wrong. At least according to some.

A Clash of Coffee Perspectives

When discussing my experiment with a fellow coffee professional from the Netherlands, I was met with passionate disagreement. "No, no, that's too light," he told me. "I love light roast. You get sweetness in coffee. You don't get it really much in a medium roast."

This conversation perfectly illustrates what makes coffee so fascinating: its extreme subjectivity. What I consider a light roast might be too light for you, or what you consider a medium roast might register as dark to me.

And here's the fascinating reality many coffee drinkers don't consider: your roaster is likely roasting to their own preference, not yours.

The Personality Cup

When you purchase coffee, you're essentially buying someone else's interpretation of what that coffee should taste like. I call this a "personality cup"—it's the roaster's perspective on how those beans should be developed, what flavors should be emphasized, and what the final product should deliver.

It's similar to how different professionals might approach the same problem with entirely different solutions. Coffee roasters approach green beans with their own vision, biases, and preferences, which ultimately dictates what ends up in your cup.

The Starbucks Paradox

Consider Starbucks, often cited as the quintessential dark roast example. Many specialty coffee enthusiasts quickly dismiss it as "burnt" or "over-roasted." Yet when I've actually measured Starbucks beans using precise equipment, they often register as medium roast according to industry parameters.

This disconnect reveals how deeply subjective our perception of coffee really is. What feels dark to one person might be medium to another. What tastes sour to you might taste perfectly balanced to me.

There's no universal grading system for roast levels—just individual interpretation filtered through personal experience.

The Freedom of the Coffee Consumer

As a roaster, I sometimes envy the average coffee enthusiast. My relationship with coffee is complicated by measurements, roast profiles, TDS meters, customer expectations, and business considerations. I'm constantly analyzing what went wrong, what could be better, whether the beans are fresh enough, and if I pushed a profile too far for my customers' preferences.

But you, the coffee drinker? You're in what I consider the enviable position of pure enjoyment.

You don't need to worry about the technical details. You can simply:

• Buy a coffee that interests you
• Brew it how you prefer
• Decide if you like it or not
• Repeat the process with something new

You have the freedom to trust or dismiss what's written on the bag. You can ignore brewing guidelines and make your coffee exactly how you want it. You can explore without the pressure of commercial considerations or technical precision.

Trust Yourself Above All

At the end of your coffee journey, what matters most is your own experience. Coffee descriptions, roast levels, and tasting notes are merely suggestions—starting points for your own exploration.

What I hope you take away from this is simple: trust your palate. If a coffee is described as having notes of blueberry and chocolate, but you taste citrus and caramel instead, your experience isn't wrong—it's yours.

I encourage you to explore with an open mind, but always let your preferences guide you. Take tips and advice as invitations, not mandates. Remember that every coffee professional, myself included, is merely sharing their own subjective experience of this complex beverage.

Because at the end of the day, coffee isn't about being right or wrong. It's about finding joy in your cup, whatever form that may take.